Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-03-23
NIKE MARKHAM.
a Bright Young Girls Heroic Per-
formence of Duty.
tch,caro Tribune I


ham for heroine, nor would one suppose
that little, quiet figure possessed nerve
enough TO save hundreds of lives by her
prompt action. but this was the way of 1t.
u was hot summer afternoon and the
most absolute quiet reigned over the lit
tie railroad station of Parkerstown. up in
Northefn New England. on these swelter.
ing JulS-days. Not even the customary
loafcrsywere around, and only at train
time was there any show of life.
The cown-trair was due at $40, but un.
til then, as the sensational writers say,
"all was quiet as the grave.''
Nike was the station agents daughter
and Cnly child She was fifteen. although
so small she looked three years younger.
ano was usually quiet as mouse-"not
much zip 10 her." as the country folks
said Ia spite of the currant opinion,
however, she had, except the small por-
ton of time which the little country town
set apart for the school season, spent
nearly all of her time in the ticket-ofice
with her father, picking up, letter by let
ter and word by word. the sounds of the
Morse instrument; and, finally, one day
she astonished her father by taking tele-
gram by sound giving him neat copy
From that day Mike was installed as
telegraph operator, an1 the indulgent
Gaiher often said "Nick could run that
Dffice jest as wei as he could himsclf"-
which considering that Mr. Markham was
considered by the boys "a plug OPERATOR"
might he called doubtful compliment to
Mike.
Well tins particular afternoon we are
talkincaboui- the aforesaid plug saun-
tered iuto the depot with trouble en-
thronsd ON his najest tic brow.
Mick, I'm summoned on a jury case up
1. bsi fsa..N ..
too ate 10 get any body here, even s'posing
there-,Tas any body to get. What are we
gong 20 do ABOUT it S'posc you can tend
The concern alone until get back--proba-
bly, by six"
"I guess so, father" replied Nike
'Ihcre won't be much of any thing to do.
I Likely fhcre won't be many passengers
fof. he down train this hot dav, and hope
I know enough To sell ticket or two if
there are.n
'Well, sec that those boxes go by ex.
press. The way bills are ready and in the
3rawer-guess you'll get along all right
and off he went, leaving Mike mistress
Of the sitnatiOn-whch phase meant
more than you might imagine, that very
particular day.
Az first she felt her ncwlv-acanired I'm
portance somewhat and stepped briskly
around, dustIng the rlns,y little Office
and watering the few plants the win
dow, but there bcIug absolutely nothing
70 do and no one con7ng near, she drop pped
INTO inactivity and lIsteued tn the click of
the telegraph instrument, which TO her
was as companIonable as the talk~ot near
friends would be. AS the afternoon
passed drow silly along the heat and still
ness overcame her, and droppiug her flax
I'd head on the desk before her, she was
soon-as one of the good ladies of Parkers-
town was wont TO express it--"jn the
arms of Morphine
Afterward, the first thing she could re.
member about it, voice seeming to come
from her dreams said: "'Tain't likely she
Is left here alone, and asleep, too"
NO." responded another evil voice, "the
Did mans prob'ly round somewhere
but" in lower tone, "come on, let's go
long. The down-train III be along and
we'll just lay 'em out.''
Mike was wide awake enough now, but
she had presence of mind in her small
body, and realized that safety lay il keep
ng still.
'How fur is it up there"
"'Shi Keep mum Do you want to
knock the hull thing in the head, and your
self. too." And then the girls quickened
1earing caught the sound of heavy foot
steps passing by the window and on up
the track.
Mike waited until she couldn't hear the
footsteps and then cautiously turned and
looked out of the window. There they
were-two miserablc-looklng tramps
Fastening up the track. She recognized
them at once as two men discharged from
coGstruction-train tiIat had been at
/ work down the road What should shc
30. o, if she could send for her father!
But there was no one anywhere near,
and, besides, by the time he could get
home it might be two late-fOr il was evi.
lent that the desperate wFetches were
bent upon revenging themselves of their
fancied wrongs upon the innocent. She
| looked at the clock. Half-past fourl She
I ran out and looked around the lonely
! station. No living being in sight. She
called once, feebly. but what was the use.
If she sent for her father she had no tan
yible exp anation TO give or real reason to
make him hurry home-only she was sure
there was harm coming to the down tram
that long crowded express filed with
mountain tourists. But she must do some
thing.
The men had disappeared around slight
I bend in the track. Mike ran in, locked up
the Office, snatched hat from nail in the
corner, and then hurried up the track until
she arrived at the slight curve. Then she
''made haste more slowly for there were
the men, Stepping behind a clump of
bushes she watched them. They had
stopped and were doing something, she
could not at first see what, to the track
Pretty soon up came a rail, and in a minute
more it was thrown down steep ledge
| within four feet Of the track-where the
whole train must be precip,t atei in less
than an hour II something could not be
Z GoEe to warn them. Mike saw il all now
nni for momeat stood, her eyes dilated
with horror, while size saw the scoundre.s
shake their fists toward her way and
heard an Imprecation. Then they passed
CD and Nike. growing cold in the sudden
rxuSa.aily, turned aud sped toward the oe
pot
Jas rail hSd been removed on a curve
which Was shaded on the west side by q
hsgh l.ank 50 u1at at half-past ave il was
quite dusk there. and as the tram always
ctBe 10 on down grade they came at full
speed Sc Nike thought to herself: @I'm
30 glad 4 came, for now I'll hurry and tele-
graph &c Stratford before the train comes
by. and then we'll see, Mr.. Tramps, how
your little scheme comes out %
She reached the office and looked at the
clock Five minutes 10 fiveI and the train
Left Stratrord al 500 Wei. eight minutes
was more than plenty Of time If she could
raise" Stratford. She grasped the key
.Sd-sd-sd.n clicked the instrument. Never
b7iore WAS there 50 inpaticnt al operatol